spitzenberg



No. 609,305. Patented Aug. I6, I898.

G. K. SPITZENBERG.

SEED PLANTER.

(Applicltion filed Apr 2 Sheets-$heet I.

(No Model.)

.112 V617 (or. f

*7 72/5 1 t I 01-11 ey witnes ies.

No. 609,305. Patented Aug. l6, I898.

G. K. SPITZENBERG.

SEED PLANTER.

(Applictticn filed Apr. 19, 1895.)

2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

(No Model.)

Witnesses.

Inven tor.

21k Attorn ey.

m: nouns PETERS c0. PHOTO-LUNG" wASumGfON, w. c.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

GEORG KARL SPITZENBERG, OF EISENACH, GERMANY.

SEED-PLANTER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 609,305, dated August16, 1898.

Application filed A fl 19, 1895. Serial No. 546,419. (No model.)Patented in Germany January 11, 1893, No. 82,115; in Luxemburg February23, 1895, No. 2,248; in France February 28, 1895, No. 245,452; inBelgium February 28, 1895, lie-114,334; in Spain February 28, 1895,110.17,074; in Austria March 9,1895, No. 19,563; in Switzerland March 11,1895,110. 10,219; in Hungary March 26, 1895, No. 2,855, and in ItalyMarch 26, 18,95,110. 38,456.

To all whom (it may concern:

Be it known that I, GEORG KARL SPITZEN- BERG, a subject of the King ofPrussia, German Emperor, and a resident of Eisenach, in the Grand Duchyof Saxe-\Veimar-Eisenach, in the German Empire, have invented a certainnew and Improved Apparatus for Planting Seed, (for which I have obtainedLetters Patent in Germany, No. 82,115, dated January 11, 1893; inLuxemburg, No. 2,243, dated February 23, 1895; in France, No. 245,452,dated February 28, 1895; in Belgium, No. 1 1 1,33 .t,dated February 28,1895; in Spain,No. 17,074,, dated February 28, 1895; in Austria, No.19,593, dated March 9, 1895; in Switzerland, No. 10,219, dated March 11,1895; in Hungary, No. 2,855, dated March 26, 1895, and in Italy, No.38,456, dated March 26, 1895,) of which the following is aspecification.

This invention relates to means for use in and connected with theplanting of seedsthat is to say, for the preparation of the soil, theformation of seed-drills, the planting of the seed, and covering andpressing down the latter. The improved apparatus for this purpose isconstructed for arboriculture, horticulture, or agricultural use, andfor this purpose is made as a rotary or vehicular device and as a simplehand-tool.

In the annexed drawings, Figure 1 is an elevation, and Fig. 2 a plan, ofa vehicular device. Fig. 3 is an elevation of the seedbox, and Figs. 4:and 5 details. Fig. 6 is an elevation, and Figs. 7 and 8 end views, ofahandtool; and Figs. 9 and 10, details thereof.

Referring to Figs. 1 to 5, the seed-drills are produced by the drillrollers or drillingwheels 3, keyed upon the shaft 2 of the frame 1. Thefelly-pieces of these drilling wheels or rollers are fixed to the tire,so as to be exchangeable in order that according to the species of seedto be sown the drill-pressing forms may be made of diderent suitableshapes. Besides the drilling-rollers 3 there is mounted upon a lateralbar 30, turning on a pivot in the center of frame 1, a markingwheel 31for designating the distance for the next drill, and this marking-Wheel,by the rotation of the bar 30, can be thrown to the one or other side ofthe implement.

In front of the drilling-rollers 3 run the knife-rakes 26, which servefor soil-loosening, for leveling unevenness, or refreshing the dried-upsoil-surface. For keeping the drilling-rollers 3 clean scrapers 1 areprovided, which may be adjustable toward the rollers 3, as well as in alateral direction.

The device for spreading the seed and covering the same will be seenfrom the whole arrangement. (Shown in Figs. 1 and 2.) Behind theseed-hoppers 11, described hereinafter, runs the seed-covering or spreadrollers '7, which are fixed to the frame 1 by means of freely-movingarms 5, and the circumference of which rollers 7 is formed by transversebars or knives, which latter during the rotary movement of the rollers 7will, by engaging into the ground, spread a coveringlayer over the seedor, if necessary, mix the same with the earth.

Behind the rollers 7 run the smooth-pressing rollers 25, which arelikewise arranged in the frame 1 and which serve for pressing down thecovering-layer of earth. To pr0- vide that the present method may beapplicable under all conditions occurring in cultivation, the deviceswhich serve for covering and pressing down the seed are also constructedin form of hand implements.

Behind the wheels 3 rest the seed-hoppers 11, which, according to thekind of drills to be drawn, possess one or more seed-holes and can belaterally adjusted to suit the chosen distance between the drills.

Behind the seed-chutes 9 are brooms or covers 10 for sweeping the seedswhich have remained lying on the ridges of earth into the drills. Theseed chest or hopper 11 is divided into two compartments by a removablewall 12, and in the bottom of each compartment is abucket-wheel 13 forfeeding the seed, Figs. 4 and 5. By this arrangement it is possible tosow separately two kinds of seed at the same time. These bucket-wheels13 are made exchangeable, so as to suit any kind of seed, the lower partof the seedbox being likewise exchangeable.

2 ouvpuu For the im mediate starting and stopping of the seed-feedingmachinery a lever is arranged on one of the handles 14. This lever isconnected by means of a draw-bar 16 with the bell-crank 17, pivoted onthe frame 1. The one arm of the bell-crank 17 is forked to engage, acollar on the beveled wheel 18, which is set in rotary motion by theprismatic shaft 19. The beveled wheel 18 on lifting the lever 15 isthrown out of gear with the beveled wheel 21, keyed on the shaft 20 ofthe seed-feeding orbucket wheels 13, and the shaft 20 comestoastandstill. The shaft 19 receives its movement by the gearing of thebeveled wheels 22 and 23 from the shaft 2 of the drilling-wheels 3.

The simple implement for producing seeddrills only is constructed as adrill-drawer for hand use, as in Figs. 6 to 8, with exchangeabledrilling-rollers 3, Fig. 9, 0r drill-pressers, Fig. 10.

The drill-drawer for hand use (shown in Figs. 6 and 7) carries besidethe rake 29, serving for Working the soil, the drilling-roller 3, besidewhich latter, upon a removable bar 30, is a displaceable marking-Wheel31, arranged for designating the distance for the next following drill.The other end of the handle 28 of this hand drill-drawer may also beprovided with two, Fig. 6, or more rollers, such as covering-roller 7and pressing-roller 25. Analogous to the vehicular drill-pullers thesimple hand drill-pullers have scrapers 32 33 for cleaning the rollers.

The adjustment of the drilling -rollers 3 with regard to the depth to beattained is effectedby attaching or detachingnave-rings 35, Fig. 9,which are slid over the projecting naves of the rollers 3 and may befixed by means of screws.

The rollers 7 may have blades 8 of any suitable shape and may also befitted with naverings 34 to vary the penetrative power.

The hand implement shown in Figs. 6 to 10 is used in an analogous mannerto the vehicular implement. The soil is first raked with rake 29. Theseed-drills are then made with roller 3. The tool is then reversed, andafter the seeds have been placed in the drills the roller 7 is used tocover them and the roller to press down the covering earth.

I claim as my invent-i0n In an apparatus for planting seed thecombination with a suitable frame of a roller having drill-pressingmembers on its surface, of a hollow covering-roller having its mantleformed by knives peripherically arranged and adapted to penetrate intothe soil so as to spread earth over the seed-drills, and of apressing-roller adapted to smooth the filled andcovered seed-drills,substantially as described and for the purpose set forth.

In testimony whereof I have signed this specification in presence of twosubscribing witnesses.

GEORG KARL SPITZENBERG.

